THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

National Agriculture Day is a day to appreciate and celebrate the work of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps few of us stop and think about the vital work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there would be no produce in the stores and little food on the table. It takes place on the first day of spring  a busy day in the farming calendar. Communities, cooperatives, companies and universities all make their own campaigns to highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and exports. It is one of the most important parts of the economy and a key part of our environment. Agriculture is also the oldest industry in the world.

In America, each farmer feeds more than 144 people. This is a huge increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pesticides and more efficient farming means farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products fall into different groups, the main ones being foods, fibers and raw materials. In recent years, crops have been used to grow biofuels, which has created a whole new area of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a rise in the farming of drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employer. About 35 percent of the world's workers rely on agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a third of the world’s workers, agriculture generates less than five percent of the world’s income.

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

appreciate and celebrate the

a.

the table

2

the vital work that takes place every

b.

of our environment

3.

food on

c.

day by food producers

4.

a busy day in the

d.

industry in the world

5.

a key part

e.

work of farmers

6.

Agriculture is also the oldest

f.

farming calendar

Paragraph 2

1.

each farmer feeds

a.

agriculture for their living

2

a huge increase from 25

b.

more than 144 people

3.

more efficient farming means

c.

5% of the world’s income

4.

crops have been used to

d.

farmers grow more crops

5.

35% of the world's workers rely on

e.

people in the 1960s

6.

agriculture generates less than

f.

grow biofuels

LISTENING GAP FILL

National Agriculture Day is a day _________________ celebrate the work of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps _________________ and think about the vital work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there would be no produce in the stores and _________________ the table. It takes place on the first day of spring  a busy day in _________________. Communities, cooperatives, companies and universities all make their _________________ highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and exports. It is one of the most important parts of the economy and _________________ environment. Agriculture is also the oldest industry in the world.

In America, each farmer _________________ 144 people. This is a huge increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pesticides _________________ farming means farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products fall into different groups, the _________________ foods, fibers and raw materials. In recent years, crops have been used to grow biofuels, which has created _________________ of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a rise in the farming of drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employer. About 35 percent of the world's _________________ agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a third of the world’s workers, agriculture _________________ than five percent of the world’s income.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

National Agriculture Day is a day to appreciate and __________ the work of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps __________ of us stop and think about the __________ work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there would be no produce in the stores and little food on the __________. It takes place on the first day of spring  a busy day in the farming __________. Communities, cooperatives, companies and universities all make their __________ campaigns to highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and __________. It is one of the most important parts of the economy and a __________ part of our environment. Agriculture is also the oldest industry in the world.

calendarvitalkeyowncelebratetableexportsfew

In America, each farmer __________ more than 144 people. This is a __________ increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pesticides and more __________ farming means farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products __________ into different groups, the main ones being foods, fibers and raw materials. In __________ years, crops have been used to grow biofuels, which has created a whole new area of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a __________ in the farming of drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employer. About 35 percent of the world's workers __________ on agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a third of the world’s workers, agriculture __________ less than five percent of the world’s income.

efficientrelyfallrisefeedsgenerateshugerecent

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

National Agriculture Day is a day to appreciate and celebration / celebrate the work of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps few / two of us stop and think about the vital / vitality work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there would be no produce in the stores and little / small food on the table. It takes place on the first day of spring / springs  a busy day in the farming calendar. Communities, cooperatives, companies and universities all make their own campaigners / campaigns to highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and experts / exports. It is one of the most important parts of the economy and a key part of our environment. Agriculture is also the oldest industrial / industry in the world.

In America, each farmer foods / feeds more than 144 people. This is a huge / hugest increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pests / pesticides and more efficient farming means farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products fall into different groups, the main ones being foods, fibers and raw / roar materials. In recent years, crops have been used to growth / grow biofuels, which has created a whole new area of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a rise in the farming / farm of drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employment / employer. About 35 percent of the world's workers rely on agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a thirty / third of the world’s workers, agriculture generates less than five percent of the world’s income.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

National Agriculture Day is a day to appreciate and celebrate the (1) ____ of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps few of us stop and think about the (2) ____ work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there would be no produce in the stores and (3) ____ food on the table. It takes place on the first day of spring  a busy day in the farming calendar. Communities, cooperatives, (4) ____ and universities all make their own campaigns to highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and (5) ____. It is one of the most important parts of the economy and a key part of our environment. Agriculture is also the oldest (6) ____ in the world.

In America, each farmer (7) ____ more than 144 people. This is a huge increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pesticides and more (8) ____ farming means farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products fall into different groups, the main ones being foods, fibers and (9) ____ materials. In recent years, crops have been used to grow biofuels, which has created a whole new area of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a (10) ____ in the farming of drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employer. About 35 percent of the world's workers rely (11) ____ agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a third of the world’s workers, agriculture (12) ____ less than five percent of the world’s income.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

workers

(b)

workaholic

(c)

works

(d)

work

2.

(a)

virtual

(b)

vital

(c)

viral

(d)

vitality

3.

(a)

small

(b)

few

(c)

little

(d)

tiny

4.

(a)

companies

(b)

companions

(c)

company’s

(d)

companies’

5.

(a)

experts

(b)

exported

(c)

exports

(d)

expert

6.

(a)

industrial

(b)

industries

(c)

industry’s

(d)

industry

7.

(a)

feeding

(b)

feeds

(c)

foods

(d)

food

8.

(a)

efficient

(b)

efficiently

(c)

efficiencies

(d)

efficiency

9.

(a)

roar

(b)

rawer

(c)

raw

(d)

rawness

10.

(a)

raise

(b)

rose

(c)

risen

(d)

rise

11.

(a)

in

(b)

on

(c)

at

(d)

of

12.

(a)

generates

(b)

generation

(c)

generator

(d)

generate

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

a day to eppateaicr

2.

the ivalt work that takes place

3.

no pceoudr in the stores

4.

farming dlarecna

5.

jobs and psxerot

6.

the oldest itnurysd

Paragraph 2

7.

fesed more than 144 people

8.

better dsiscetepi

9.

raw mtaiseral

10.

dtereac a whole new area

11.

the world’s largest eprlyome

12.

a hidrt of the world’s workers

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )

materials. In recent years, crops have been used to grow biofuels, which has created a whole

( )

highlight the importance of agriculture, for food, jobs and exports. It is one of the most important

( )

in the farming calendar. Communities, cooperatives, companies and universities all make their own campaigns to

( )

In America, each farmer feeds more than 144 people. This is a huge increase from

( )

farmers grow more crops. Agricultural products fall into different groups, the main ones being foods, fibers and raw

( )

25 people in the 1960s. Developments in technology, better pesticides and more efficient farming means

( )

of us stop and think about the vital work that takes place every day by food producers. Without them, there

( )

third of the world’s workers, agriculture generates less than five percent of the world’s income.

( )

drugs, especially for cocaine and heroine. Agriculture is the world’s largest employer. About 35

( )

percent of the world's workers rely on agriculture for their living. Even though it employs a

( 1 )

National Agriculture Day is a day to appreciate and celebrate the work of farmers and the agricultural industry. Perhaps few

( )

parts of the economy and a key part of our environment. Agriculture is also the oldest industry in the world.

( )

new area of agriculture. Recent times have also seen a rise in the farming of

( )

would be no produce in the stores and little food on the table. It takes place on the first day of spring  a busy day